(BOSTON 9/19/2025) — Yesterday, the Massachusetts Senate approved two bills aimed at combatting the opioid epidemic and managing car rental costs for residents. The approved legislation expands protections for individuals using testing equipment to protect against fentanyl and changes car rental insurance requirements to reduce costs for Massachusetts residents.
Protecting People Using Fentanyl Testing Equipment
An Act relative to fentanyl test strips, S.1057, is intended to reduce the tragic toll of overdoses and make life-saving tools accessible to those who need them most. It explicitly exempts fentanyl testing equipment from the list of prohibited drug paraphernalia and expands liability protections to anyone who provides, administers, or uses the tests, including first responders.
“For those struggling with opioid addition, harm reduction is a critical strategy to keeping users safe and saving lives. I am proud to support legislation that keeps families whole and maintains paths to recovery,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “By following in the footsteps of 36 states and DC to pass legislation legalizing fentanyl test strips, we can stem off the worst of this crisis in communities across the Commonwealth. I believe that is a worthy goal.”
The legislation builds upon a 2024 law that provided criminal and civil liability protections for those in the harm reduction community who provide or use fentanyl test strips in good faith. According to the Department of Public Health, nearly 400,000 fentanyl test strips were distributed in 2024, and fentanyl was present in 88.6% of opioid-related overdose deaths that year. This legislation would expand the liability protections beyond those just in the harm reduction community and ensure police officers who seek to distribute the tests or others acting in good faith are afforded legal protection. A fact sheet with full details of the legislation is available online.
Promoting Affordable Car Rentals
An Act relative to affordable car rentals, S.2367, aligns Massachusetts with the majority of other states by updating car rental insurance requirements to maintain liability coverage on a secondary basis, making rental companies responsible only if the renter is uninsured or underinsured.
“Making car rentals more affordable by cutting red tape and reducing government burdens is a prudent move to make visiting the Bay State more affordable and help residents access a car when they need one at a time when costs continue to rise,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “This bill is another piece in our pursuit of tackling the cost of living crisis here in the Commonwealth, and I look forward to continuing our work in the Senate to make it easier for working families to get by.”
By shifting primary liability to the renter’s personal auto insurance, the legislation helps make car rentals more affordable and accessible for Massachusetts residents, reducing costs while maintaining necessary protections. A fact sheet with full details of the legislation is available online.
Votes taken by committee to advance the bills to the floor are available publicly on the respective bills’ webpages, along with summaries of the legislation. A recording of the Senate’s livestreamed debate and votes on the legislation can be found archived on the public website.
Having been approved by the Senate, both bills now advance to the House of Representatives for consideration.
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